No encore in
PittsburghSharks are flat in shootout
loss2/11/09 - By Mike Lee

24 hours
after rolling to a big 5-2 win in one of the most anticipated match ups of the
season, the Sharks failed to follow it up with much intensity. Their monster
performance was followed up by a dud in Pittsburgh on Wednesday night, as San
Jose fell to the Penguins 2-1 in the shootout. Brian Boucher's 35 save
performance was wasted by a lack of offensive support, sending the Sharks to
their 4th loss in five games.

Joe Pavelski's goal at 11:07 of the 3rd
period was all the scoring the Sharks could muster, and it looked as if it
might kick start a mostly dormant Sharks roster. Pavelski swept home a Milan
Michalek shot, to help San Jose tie the game at 1-1.

San Jose overcame
a one-goal deficit in Boston the night before, but tired legs and missed
opportunities would deny the Sharks. Mike Grier missed on two golden
opportunities to put the Sharks on top in the final 5 minutes of regulation.

With Ryane Clowe in the penalty box for tripping at 15:36, the Sharks
managed to turn aside the Penguins power play. In the final 30 seconds of the
infraction, Grier found himself skating up ice uncontested with the puck and
Marc-Andre Fleury as the only thing between him and a Sharks lead. The puck
skipped on end, preventing Grier from getting a good shot off. Chance
squandered.

Grier would find the puck on his tape with less than 30
seconds in regulation, but his point blank shot sailed over the crossbar.
Another chance squandered.

The Penguins looked just as uninspired to
grab the 2-points after right wing William Thomas gave them their 1-2 lead late
in the 2nd period.

Rob Blake was the victim of a fluke bounce, after
Thomas' shot from beyond the net, bounced off his stick and into the San Jose
net. Blake was the beneficiary of a wild series of bounces in Boston, which
resulted in a goal.

Boucher stood tall in net, stopping 14 shots in
the final period of regulation, including several point blank shots during
Clowe's penalty. He would only face one shot in the overtime period, which was
a feat in itself after Blake took a holding penalty 39 seconds into the extra
frame.

Skating 4-on-3, the Penguins couldn't generate any scoring
chances and had to rely on Fleury to keep them in the game. The Penguins
netminder stopped 36 shots on the night amd all three shots he faced in the
shootout.

Michalek missed the net entirely with his chance, and
Pavelski put a weak chance on net that Fleury easily turned aside. Petr Sykora
and Evgeni Malkin were no more effective, putting flaccid shots on net.

Sydney Crosby put the Penguins up 1-0 in the shootout with a snap shot
that tucked inside the left post, leaving Boyle as San Jose's last chance. The
Sharks defenseman put a backhand attempt into Fleury's pads and the game was
over.

Game Notes:

Ryan Vesce made his NHL debut for
the Sharks, skating on the right wing with Tomas Plihal and Pavelski. Vesce
skated 13 shifts for 6:48 of ice time and was a minus one. The rookie blocked
two shots and won both faceoffs he took.

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